Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo on Sunday concluded his two-week visit to the United States, Cuba and the Bahamas, which helped improve relations between China and the three countries and strengthened their cooperation.
Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, arrived on Sept. 5 in Phoenix, Arizona, as a guest of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
It is the first official visit to the United States by a top Chinese legislator in the past two decades.
During his week-long US tour, Wu met with US President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, State of Secretary Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and other political figures.
The two sides exchanged views and reached consensus on major issues of common concern.
On China-US relations, Wu said that the two sides should vie and develop their bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and in the spirit of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences and win-win cooperation,
The two countries should respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, respect the system and development path of each other's own choice, respect each other's core interests and major concerns and expand converging interests through candid dialogue and patient communications, Wu said.
In response, Obama said he has been pleased to witness a series of strategic interactions and enhanced cooperation between the two countries in the past several months.
A strong US-China strategic partnership is not only in the interests of the two countries but also of the world at large, Obama said, adding that the United States is ready to work with China to further promote US-China relations.
On Thursday Wu attended a dinner party hosted by some friendly US organizations. Addressing the party, Wu emphasized the importance of development to China, and the importance of China's development to the world.
During his visit to Cuba on Sept.1-4, Wu met with First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Fidel Castro and Raul Castro, second secretary of the Party's Central Committee and president of the Cuban Council of State.
Wu said that China always highly values its friendly and cooperative relations with Cuba. China is satisfied with the current status of development of their relations, and is fully confident in the broad prospects for future bilateral cooperation, he said.
In the Bahamas, Wu met with Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert In graham and proposed that the two nations maintain high-level official visits and expand exchange and cooperation between the two governments, parliaments and among various political parties.
During his talks with leaders of the three nations and business representatives, Wu reiterated that both sides should boost confidence to tackle the current financial crisis and facilitate the recovery of the world economy. His proposals on furthering cooperation of mutual benefits were well received by his hosts.
During his US tour, Wu said that the basic pattern that the two countries, with their economies complementary to each other, are committed to win-win cooperation remains unchanged despite the international financial crisis, and their economic and trade cooperation enjoys great potential.
Wu called on both sides to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in high-technology, new energy, energy-conservation and environmental protection.
On climate change, Wu said that China has made saving resources and protecting the environment one of its basic national policies and sustainable development its national strategy.
China has not only started a National Program for Responding to Climate Change, but also has begun to amend laws such as the Renewable Resources Act, Wu said.
When meeting with parliament leaders of the three countries, the top Chinese legislator had in-depth exchanges of views with them on strengthening inter-parliament exchanges, improving mutual understanding and boosting practical cooperation.
Wu returned to Beijing on Sunday after an official visit to Alaska, the United States.
(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2009)
